The Pest and the Pauper -- By: MysteryGirl
Summary The spoiled-royal and his versatile-vigilante twin sister have to last a day in each others lives... did the penguins make a mistake insisting such a thing? ---- =Plot= After a load of events that separated them four years ago, and recently reunite them, Julien is surprised that Lucinda doesn't want to return to the regal lifestyle. when he asked about that, all she says is that she is proud of the idea that things done right are things done yourself... that, and she wants to show that she's not "a banana-brained weakling that depends too much on servants". Insulted that she would call him weak (and partially feels sorry for her because she works harder then Mort and Maurice) an argument broke loose until the penguins intervened and (through Kowalski's Intel on how poorly humans can tell one animal from another of the exact same species, unless its another person, and through Private's down-to-earth social-know-how) suggested that, as twins, it only makes sense that they switch places for the day. Though both lemurs think it's a nonsense-icle idea, they figured that it would be an interesting way to really, REALLY know each other (that, and a new activity might pass the time, especially since it is a "Fun Day" morning). So, as Julien took up Lucinda's pendents' (technically, the pink one was always hers, the blue one was his as a prince) and Lucinda tried on the crown, everything was set as Lucinda's people family came to pick her up (she could only visit since she isn't officially part of the zoo yet), unaware that they picked up the wrong lemur (Skipper and Kowalski tagged along in secret). After they left, Private and Rico set things straight with Mort and Maurice when they noticed an "impostor" sitting in Julien's throne, and were convince to "go about as usual" as they would with their king. Meanwhile, the real Julien felt exposed without his crown, but did his best not to show it. It didn't take long for him and the penguins he saw stowing away in the taxi's trunk to learn that the two children in Lucinda's human family, Amy and Zeke, could understand animal talk, but kept that power a secret from the grown-ups because they all have enough "problems" as it is, like living in a half-way house. they made an agreement with Julien: they'd help him fill in his sister's life without too much strength if he helps them get out of poverty when they switch back tomorrow. Meanwhile, back at the zoo, Lucinda was trying not to get to cozy with her day as queen, when Maurice brought up the topic that really sets her apart from her brother: Dancing! Julien was always groove-gifted, but Lucinda didn't really find her's yet, and therefore hoped she didn't look too pathetic as she wobbled across the dance floor, but after Maurice blabbed about the groove-jar mess, she figured that if her brother was THAT much worse without his groove, then perhaps she has one of her own after all. She went to try again, but Mort got carried away with "playing along" and grabbed Lucinda's feet in the middle of a dance-step, tripping her! As day turned to night, Julien found out the hard way that it was all this "slave-tasking" that made his servant's such heavy sleepers, for he conked-out right in the middle of one of his sister's usual tasks and the penguins had difficulty rousing him. What brought him back to his senses was the smell of the fruit slices Zeke slipped under the table (the boy HATES papaya!)...there was less then usual, but considering how little these people have to offer (and how empty his stomach was after working so hard on his own, though Kowalski helped with some of the alchemy projects, and Skipper did his part by warding of a bulldog that was apparently the neighborhood bully) Julien was grateful for this much, and when he overheard the father finally saved enough up for pen-ink to finish the paperwork for "Lucinda" to permanently live at the zoo and still be part of the family. Julien, Skipper, and Kowalski went back home just in time for the sun to rise, and the real Lucinda told them about all the fun things she did as queen for a day, such as finding her groove (sort of), doing a musical duet with Marlene, and beating Rico in a belching contest (Best two-out-of-three!) and all the other things that all her hard work caused her to miss. Julien feared he would never get his crown back, but Lucinda put that in his hands and said "Are you kidding?! Note about your neighbors: THEY'RE ALL A BUMBLING BUNCH OF COCONUTS! I'd rather dance with a stick then with any of them." "Well, at least you can dance at all now," Julien said, returning the pendents before telling her that she's here to stay (all while stuffing himself with a piece of his banquet breakfast), "By the way sis, welcome home." The reunited penguins high fived each other, Amy saw Julien and Lucinda hugging and took a picture, but Mort's head got in the way and his voice was heard to say "I like Happy Endings!" Photo Category:MysteryGirl's World Category:Fandom Category:Fan-Fic Category:Fan-Art